EXCLUSIVE No wonder KFC’s objecting efforts to stop takeaways opening near schools! Some of fast food chain’s 1,000 stores are opposite classrooms – see the true scale of the issue using our interactive map of London

• In one case a primary school in Hampstead sits just two doors down from a KFC 
• Another college in Southall directly faces one of the fast food giant’s branches 
• READ MORE: KFC is ‘thwarting’ council efforts to stop takeaways near schools

KFC branches can be located just metres away from schools, according to a map made by MailOnline.

The startling data illustrates why the fast-food giant, which has 1,000 stores in the UK, might want to thwart the anti-obesity policies that involve banning takeaways from opening near classrooms.

In one extreme case visible from our map of London, a primary school sits just two doors down from a KFC restaurant. Another stands opposite to a college. 

Today an eye-opening investigation revealed how KFC has challenged the planning policies of 43 councils wanting to limit where takeaways can set up shop.

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Separate borough-by-borough figures for London, which MailOnline has compiled into an interactive map, locates 3,800-plus schools in London and their proximity to KFC’s 171 restaurants. School data was last updated four years ago, so may be slightly out of date. For KFC, MailOnline plotted their exact coordinates onto the map. In one case Acorn House College (pictured) in Southall directly faces its Southall High Street restaurant (pictured above)

Two dozen of those authorities either abandoned their plans or watered them down, The Times found.

The newspaper used the example of Wakefield, which wanted to stop all takeaways from opening within 400m of primary schools. 

Supporting its cause, council chiefs presented evidence to state that year six pupils living in areas with the highest density of fast food outlets had higher BMIs.

But KFC argued there was not enough data to justify the claim, and that not all food stores ‘serve the same type and standard of food’. 

The analysis by The Times also found almost 200 schools in England and Wales have ten or more takeaways within 400 metres of the site. 

READ MORE: Sobering charts lay bare the reality of UK’s ever-worsening obesity crisis as shock analysis claims nation’s bulging waistline is costing £100billion a year 

Separate borough-by-borough figures for London, which MailOnline has compiled into an interactive map, locates 3,800-plus schools in London and their proximity to KFC’s 171 restaurants.

School data was last updated four years ago, so may be slightly out of date. For KFC, MailOnline plotted their exact coordinates onto the map. 

In one case in the affluent north London neighbourhood of Hampstead, Rosary Roman Catholic Primary School sits just two doors down from KFC’s Haverstock Hill branch. 

At another, Acorn House College in Southall directly faces its Southall High Street restaurant. 

Elsewhere across the country, one drive-through KFC in Buckshaw village, Lancashire, stands just metres away from a primary school.

It opened in 2019 in spite of opposition from some locals who accused KFC of encouraging childhood obesity. 

The restaurant, which developers said would bring jobs to the village, was granted planning permission in March 2018 following the objections. 

Last month another KFC was also opened at Beacon Business Park in Stafford — a second for the town — after a council decision was overturned. 

The borough council initially rejected the plans over concerns it would directly face Weston Road Academy and stand ‘within metres’ of Veritas Primary Academy.

In another case, the affluent north London neighbourhood of Hampstead, Rosary Roman Catholic Primary School (pictured above) sits just two doors down from KFC’s Haverstock Hill branch (pictured)

Obesity rates have been on the rise for decades, with experts blaming sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets. They are also soaring in children, with a quarter of children in reception now considered overweight, and one in ten obese. Data for 2021/22

Much like adults the proportion of children in England either obese or overweight have broadly increased over time 

But an appeal was lodged and in 2021 an inspector granted permission for the new drive-through restaurant.

Council officials have been trying to limit the number of takeaways and fast food restaurants close to schools across the country, but are required to open up new planning policies to a public consultation.

According to The Times, however, these policies have reportedly often been challenged by KFC, with an external planning inspector ruling in the chain’s favour in half of cases.

A spokesperson for KFC said: ‘We take our role on high streets and the positive contribution we make in communities across the country extremely seriously and, like many businesses, we take up opportunities to contribute when local authorities seek the views of relevant parties on things like planning policy. 

‘This is a standard part of the policymaking process to ensure potentially unconsidered impacts on the local area are brought to light.

‘As a part of this routine consultation process, we have offered our concerns on some draft policies which took a broad-brush stroke approach, supported by limited evidence, that would in practice actually mean a ban on opening any new restaurants at all in the local area.

‘As a business, we are in fact supportive of the sector taking a responsible approach to schools. For example, we already have self-imposed restrictions on advertising near schools which are stricter than current advertising regulations.’

No10 previously committed to helping Brits get thinner but have since stepped back from what they have seen as ‘nanny-state’ style initiatives. 

Elsewhere across the country, a KFC branch was also opened at Beacon Business Park in Stafford (pictured above) — a second for the town — after a council decision was overturned. The borough council initially rejected the plans over concerns it would directly face Weston Road Academy and stand ‘within metres’ of Veritas Primary Academy (pictured). But an appeal was lodged and in 2021 an inspector granted permission for the new drive-through restaurant

 A quarter of kids in reception are now considered overweight, with one in 10 obese

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HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR BODY MASS INDEX – AND WHAT IT MEANS

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height. 

Standard Formula:

• BMI = (weight in pounds / (height in inches x height in inches)) x 703

Metric Formula:

• BMI = (weight in kilograms / (height in meters x height in meters))

Measurements:

• Under 18.5: Underweight
• 18.5 – 24.9: Healthy
• 25 – 29.9: Overweight
• 30 – 39.9: Obese 
• 40+: Morbidly obese 

Back in 2020, ex-PM Boris Johnson announced a ‘world-leading’ obesity action plan, partly inspired by how his own weight put him at greater risk of severe illness when he caught Covid. 

But Rishi Sunak’s government has delayed a ban on promoting buy-one-get-one-free deals on unhealthy snacks until 2025, blaming the cost of living crisis.

A ban on television adverts for junk food before 9pm and on paid-for adverts online has also been delayed by 12 months until 2025.

Latest NHS data shows 26 per cent of adults in England are obese and a further 38 per cent are overweight but not obese. 

Obesity rates have been on the rise for decades, with experts blaming sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets.

They are also soaring in children, with a quarter of children in reception now considered overweight, and one in ten obese. 

Until now, it was thought the problem cost Britain in the region of £60billion. 

A shock analysis, however, published this week by thinktank The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) found Britain’s obesity crisis now costs the country nearly £100billion per year. 

This figure included the cost of the knock-on effects of being obese and the impact on the NHS, as well as the secondary costs like lost earnings from time off work due to illness and early deaths. 

The NHS now spends an estimated £19billion on treating weight-related health problems, according to the analysis. 

Being an unhealthy weight raises the risk of serious and life-threatening conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and strokes.  

By specific health problem related to being overweight, high blood pressure was the biggest cost, at £171 and £178 per fat man and woman each year, respectively.

Similarly high figures were recorded for type 2 diabetes and depression, which are both linked with being fat.

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